Monday, April 29, 2013

2013 Wildfire Awareness Week starts May 4



Residents urged to be proactive

"Reduce the Fuel — Reduce the Risk!" is the message for the 2013 Nevada Wildfire Awareness Week, which kicks off Saturday, May 4. Ed Smith, director of University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Living With Fire Program, says this year’s message is a call to action.

“Reducing the fuel around homes and other structures is critical to survival during a wildfire,” Smith, a natural resource specialist, says. "Residents must be proactive, monitoring and removing appropriate fuels year-round."

Smith says there are three factors that control wildfire behavior:

  • Weather, including relative humidity, wind, and air temperature;
  • Topography, including steepness of slope, aspect, and slope position; and
  • Fuel, including amount, continuity, height, and moisture content.

Together, these three factors determine the ease in which a wildfire will start, direction it will go, how fast it will travel, length of its flames and how difficult it will be to suppress.

"Of these three factors, only the fuel can be altered in order to reduce the wildfire risk," Smith says. "That’s why we continue to focus our efforts on helping homeowners to know how to manage the vegetation and fuels around their homes."

Nevada Wildfire Awareness Week is a collaborative effort of local, state, and federal firefighting agencies, Extension, and many others. Proclamations and resolutions supporting the effort have been issued by Governor Brian Sandoval, the Nevada League of Cities, the Nevada Association of Counties, county commissioners, and other groups.

Events and activities are being held across the state. To see what is happening in various communities, visit livingwithfire.info and click on the Wildfire Awareness Week tab, or contact Sonya Sistare at sistares@unce.unr.edu or 775-336-0271.

Refer to the November/December 2012 issue of Nevada Magazine to read a feature story titled, "Fire Danger: Extreme."

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Eagles & Agriculture Announces Photo Contest Winner

"Calf and Eagle Playing"
"Newborn Calf"
Photos by Merry Muller
A great eye for composition has earned Merry Muller of Gardnerville both first place awards in the 2013 Eagles & Agriculture Photo Contest. Her "Calf and Eagle Playing" image was selected by the Eagles and Agriculture Steering Committee as the best Eagle image, and her "Newborn Calf" image was selected as the best in the Agriculture/Wildlife category. Muller will receive $125 for each of her category wins.

The contest, which accepts photographs taken in Carson Valley any time between the end of the previous year’s event and the submission deadline, received more than 40 entries this year. Eagles & Agriculture is a three-day celebration of wildlife and the ranching industry in Carson Valley, held in February each year. Dates for the 2014 event have been set for February 21-23.

See more of Muller's work at merrymullerphotos.com.

Friday, April 12, 2013

How Fast Can You Go?


Introducing American Muscle Car Challenge by Richard Petty Driving Experience.

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Click here to book your challenge today.